Retiring is a real shock so what do you do in retirement

chickmug

McKneff wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see any answers also. I retire in October (maybe) and the thought of not having the discipline each day to get up, go to work etc. horrifies me especially as i have been at my present job 23 years.
Apart from sleeping i spend more time with my work colleagues than i do with my other half.

I always get up the same time and have a lie in once each week on a Sunday - for an hour? I worked in partnership with my wife so nothing new there but I am finding everything I do takes much longer with more tea breaks. I even spend time looking around shops which I never used to - argh!

chesky369

......but I worry if I take anything on I would only do so if I gave it the best of my ability......

I do so completely understand what you're saying and I was worried at the start of the training that I wouldn't be able to cope with learning so much stuff when I hadn't had to study since I left college EONS ago. But the training people are really good - they know you're not carving out a new career for yourself and that they have to treat you fairly gently. You learn at your own pace and, believe me, it really isn't frightening - just the thought is.

mardatha

what kind of course can you do at our age Chesky ?

chesky369

"what kind of course can you do at our age Chesky ?"

I was talking about training as an adviser for citizens' advice, sorry it was a follow-up so I didn't make it clear.

seven-day-weekend

And the answer of course, is ANY sort of course that interests you. Learning a language, doing a degree, learning woodwork , the list is endless.

Why should age come into it?

sarah_elton

I did my degree at Oxford and we had a lady in her 80s doing an English degree at my college - she had always wanted to go to university but couldn't afford it when she was young. Age definitely shouldn't come into it.

buxtonrabbitgreen

My mum finished her OU course at the age of 68. During the time she was doing the course she had a stroke and it took her a while to get back into the saddle. Sadly she has passed away now, but I know it gave her immense satisfaction to have completed the course and to have us all watch her at her graduation,

Newly_retired

I can definitely second chesky's suggestion of the CAB. It gives structure to my week and a lovely set of colleagues. It is great NOT to be in charge, after years of a responsible Head of Department's job. I enjoy the challenge of learning new things and putting them into use. You meet a wide variety of people and give something to the community, as well as benefitting yourself. There is a wide variety of areas of enquiry so you can not get bored.

azureblue_2

When I finished working 4 years ago in my early 50's, health bad, I found it took me 2 years to adjust to being at home and feeling 'not wanted' a bit. I was just thinking about writing a book when OH retired early too and needed support in the Big Change too. Just as I thought he was settling into getting on with his own thing so I could get on with mine the kids sprung grandchildren on us, and so 3 days a week or so we are up to our knees in little'uns.
It does keep us young and better exercise than a gym, and learning again about Life through their eyes is a privilege. I figure another 5 years and they'll not want us so much so, heyho.
Hard to write a book whilst keeping one eye on a lively 2 year old, another on a baby, and what's the grandad up to now!?!

mardatha

I can't seem to rustle up the enthusiasm for anything much just now. Plus there's the question of money. How do you pay for courses and what about the busfares to get there ? ok , so I'm a slug !